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2019 Western Conference Finals: Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers preview

By Daniel Lubofsky

Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images /
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(Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images) /

In a matchup little expected, the Portland Trail Blazers will face off against the Golden State Warriors with a spot in the 2019 NBA Finals on the line.

Prior to the start of the 2018-19 season, many had expected a rematch of the 2018 Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets to take place once again this year.

Due to a reshuffling of the seeding towards the end of the regular season, that matchup was gifted to fans in the second round. In Houston’s place, the Portland Trail Blazers took advantage of a golden opportunity to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.

Looking to avenge last season’s crushing playoff sweep, Portland won 50-plus games for the first time in four years. Once starting big man Jusuf Nurkic broke his leg in late March though, any hope of a deep postseason run seemed lost.

On the backbone of their star backcourt, the Blazers powered on. They soundly defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in round one before sneaking by the Denver Nuggets in a tough seven-game second round series, including a defining Game 7 victory on the road.

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The Warriors were always supposed to be at this point, but the road traveled has been littered with unexpected potholes. Despite facing off in the 1-8 matchup, it took the Dubs six games to take down the star-less Los Angeles Clippers, including falling victim to a historic 31-point comeback in Game 2.

Kevin Durant would suffer a strained right calf late in a crucial Game 5 of their conference semifinal matchup with the Rockets. Golden State still managed to pull out a five-point road victory in Game 6 to clinch the series.

This season has already been a successful one for the Blazers, yet it’s also one they would like to extend by eliminating a team they’ve fallen victim to twice in postseasons past. With KD’s injury, no scenario is that outlandish in the final four of these 2019 NBA Playoffs, which could create even more drama in what has already been a truly exciting postseason.